Combined folding bed and couch.



110.791,?20. I I PATENTED JUNE6,1905. DJT. OWEN.

COMBINED FOLDING BED AND COUCH.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.23,1904.

4 SHEE'I .'SSHEET 1.

WITNESSES: D Q O INVENTOR. X AVID EN.

W A TTORNE).

No. 791,720. PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905.

D.. T. OWEN."

COMBINED FOLDING BED AND COUCH. APPLIGATIION FILED PEB.23,1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEE b WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

DA ID T OWEN v ATTORNEY- D. T. OWEN.

COMBINED FOLDING BED AND COUCH.

- AifPLIOATION FILED r213. 23. 1904.

PATENTED JUNE 6-, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

,D T glVENTOR.

AVID WEN v BY W 7 ATTORNE Y.

WLTNESSES:

l D. T. OWEN.

PATENTED JUNE 6, 19C"- OOMBINED FOLDING BED AND COUCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.23,1904.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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A TTORN'EY. I

WITNESSES: I I

, DAVID T. OWEN.

UNITED STATES Patented June 6, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID T. OWEN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE D. T. OWEN COMPANY,OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COMBINED FOLDING BED AND COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 791,720, dated June 6,1905. Application filed February 23, 190&. Serial No. 194,772.

To all whom it may concern.-

in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined FoldingBed and Couch;

and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a combined folding bed and couch; and theinvention consists in the construction and combination of partssubstantially as shown and described, and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of myinvention as it ap-,

pears when converted into a couch. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of thestructure with the parts in a position shown in Fig. 1 and thesupporting-frame and couch proper sectioned vertically on a linecorresponding to w 00, Fig. 4, so as to disclose the supports in theends of the frame for the bed-frame. Fig. 3 is a perspective front viewof the main frame itself, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section of thestructure with the bed raised and out of the way and the couch inposition, as in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of thecombined bed and couclrback frame. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of thecouch and bed, showing the bed down and the couch carried forward, asoccurs when the bed is in use. Fig.7 is a cross-sectional elevation of amodification of the invention, particularly of the couch.

As thus shown the invention comprises a bed B and a couch C, and thesaid parts are supported on main frame A and operatively connected, sothat both are actuated when the structure is converted from one use tothe other, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Comprised in the term bed as herein used is the bed-frame 6, its springor springmattress b, and whatsoever may go with these parts andconstitute a fixed appurtenance of the bed as such, like folding headand foot frames, and the term couch comprises especially the lower orseating portion thereof (indicated by C) with its springs and up-.holstering, and C indicates the couch-back.

This latter part is built fixedly upon the front or bottom of thebed-frame and in a very practical sense is a part thereof and is theonly part exposed when the bed is raised or folded and out of the way,as shown in Fig. l.

The main frame A has at each end on its inside two separate ledges orequivalent formations 2 and 3, constituting the means of support on saidframe for the bed-frame, and while ledges, ribs, or channels are shownthe said formations may be otherwise fashioned and serve my purpose andbe in or upon wood or metal, as good mechanics may suggest, the wholeidea being to get a set of sup ports for the bed at different elevationsand of such formation and relation to each other as will afford twodistinct and different supports and fulcrums for the operation of thebed, as will now appear. Thus the primary ledge or lower channel 2 isshown as curved substantially to the segment of a circle between itsends, with its upper end highest near the rear edge of frame A and itslower end down relatively beneath the rear of the couch, where it hasdistinct stop 2. The upper portion or end of channel or ledge 2 has ahorizontal end portion 2 for a purpose which will appear. The ledge orchannel ,3 runs horizontally from the rear of frame A to apo'intsomewhat forward of the front end of ledge 2 measured perpendicularly,as seen in Fig. 6. Working in conjunction with these ledges, ribs, orthe like 2 and 3 are the brackets 6'and 7 on the'bed-frame, providedwith pins or lugs 4: and 5, which engage upon the ledges 2 and 3,respectively, and constitute the sole support of the bed on the mainframe.

The couch-back C is built permanently upon the front of the bed-frameand is suitably upholstered and otherwise fashioned and finished ascomfort and taste may dictate. The depth downward to which the said backextends on frame B is seen in Fig. 5. This brings it down into rightworking relations with the rear edge of the couch-seat or couch properand leaves the lower portion of frame B free Lil to attach theoutwardly-projecting supporting-arms or parts 6 and 7 for engagementwith the main frame.

Positive pivotal connection of couch C is made with frame B throughgooseneck hangers 0, fixed rigidly on the rear of the couch orcouch-frame and pivotally engaged with frame B or with the framework atthe front thereof for the couch-back, as seen in Figs. 4 and 6. Thesehangers constitute the sole rear support for couch C, and the frontthereof is supported in two different ways, as shown herein. Thus isFigs. 4 and 6 the couch is shown as resting at its front upon the frontrail (0 of frame A, on which it is adapted to slide on its own endpieces 0, and the front of the couch is shown as about flush with thefront of frame A when the bed is raised out of the way and the couch isin use.

In Fig. 7 the couch is shown as resting upon front legs 0 of its own andnot upon the main frame, and the bed and couch-back come down over thecouch in either case and may rest more or less at the front, though notnecessarily.

Now in a structure of this kind several things are essentially necessaryto render it accept able to the public. First, the bed should be sobalanced as to be raised and lowered without excessive exertion, thusbringing it within the control of women of ordinary strength; second,the bed should be so supported that it can be raised and lowered whileit remains back against the wall and without moving the main frame awayfrom the wall to effect these changes; third, the bed should have theusual height of beds from the floor and the room and comfort of bedsordinarily, so as to be entirely acceptable in these particulars;fourth, the bed should be firm and strong on its supports and devoid ofall shakiness or feeling of insecurity which is liable to be found inconvertible furniture. To these several ends I provide the bed orbed-frame with two positive engagements at each end with the main frame,and these engagements simply shift position, but do not change theirpositive character when the bed is changed from one to the otherposition. Thus assuming that the bed is raised and out of sight, as inFig. 4, it will be seen that the lugs 5 on the ends of the bed are in orat the rear of channel 3, While lugs 4 are at the front of channel 2beneath and in advance of lugs 5 perpendicularly, so that thecounterbalance upon the bed is to the rear at the top and couch C isback in working position; but it is desirable to have an easy swing ofthe bed forward to tilt it for use and this without moving thebase-framefrom the wall. Both these ends are provided for in theconstruction of the ledges or channels on which the lugs 4 and 5 havetheir shifting relations, and as the person pulls forward at the middleand top of the bed the lugs 5 slidetforward within channels 3 until theinclined shouldered end 3' of said channels is reached. This brings thebed into a more or less inclined position and makes a tilting fulcrum sofar inward from the rear of the bed that the bottom of the bed can beturned up to a horizontal position on a radius from this innerpivot-fulcrum which will not carry it rearward beyond the plane of themain frame and without contacting with the wall. Itis also to be noticedthat as soon as the bed assumes a more or less forward incline atits topthe preponderance of weight is favorable to the forward tilting thereofwithout much personal assistance, and all this is brought about bysimply sliding the bed forward on its pivots in slots 3 in the firstinstance. In this case the lower lugs 4 become the fulcrum from whichthe pull is made because they cannot take the arc of slots 2 until theshift has been made from the rear to the front of channels 3.

If folding of the bed be desired, the reverse of the foregoingconditions obtains. In that case the portion of the bed behind pivots 5becomes a counterbalancing portion to help raise the bed at the front,and lugs 4 run down in their grooves to the ends thereof against stops2'. These stops being reached, the lugs 4 become the fulcrum from whichthe bed is pushed back to place, the frame I) being supported entirelyby said lugs. Both sets of lugs 4and 5 can be provided with suitablerollers for easier operation. The slots or channels 3 are at suchelevation as will give thebed the desired height, and with the doublesupports of the bed at both ends perfect steadiness and firmness isassured when the bed is down in use. This is promoted by the short rearstraight portion 2 of the slots 2, in which the lugs rest and are heldboth above and below and rearward by the weight of the bed. In raisingthe bed a slight forward pull relieves from this fixed position.

Each set of lugs or pivot-pins 4 and 5 becomes in its turn both fulcrumand pivot for the bed-frame, the first action of this kind I coming tolugs 4 when the bed is drawn forward at its top to be tilted and thesecond action coming on lugs 5 above when said lugs have reachedtheinclined ends 3 of their channels or ways 3 in the main frame andbecome the pivots about which the bed is turned to its horizontalposition. The said ways or channels 2 and 3 have the said lugs inconstant engagement therewith in one portion or other, according to theposition of the bed.

The main frame A as shown herein is of the sofa or davenport pattern,having cabinetfinished ends, with arm-rests 8 and standards 9 at therear, connected by a finished portion 10. under which the front edge ofthe bed swings, and is covered from view when the bed is folded. Thechannels or guideways 2 and 3 for the pivot points or lugs of thebedframe are formed directly in or upon the inside of the ends of themain frameand where the entire mechanism is out of sight.

The channels, grooves, slots, or ledges 2 and 3 are preferably referredto in the claims as guideways, for the reason that the term carries theidea of travel or movement along said ways as occurs in the operation ofthe bed from either of its positions. to the other position.

What I claim is 1. The main frame and the bed-frame provided with twodifferent fulcrum-pivots at each end and rests therefor upon the mainframe, in combination with a couch-seat adapted to slide within the mainframe and provided with gooseneck hangers pivotally con nected with saidbed-frame.

2. The main frame and the bed-frame having a set of brackets extendingat right angles beneath the planeof the bed-bottom and provided withpivot projections and a plurality of rests on the ends of the main frameat different elevations on which said projections are movably engaged,in combination with a couch-seat pivotall,\ suspended at its rear fromthe bottom of said bed-frame substantially midway between the front andrear sides thereof.

3. The main frame having elongated ways with rests atdifferentelevations upon the ends of said frame, and the bed-frame having a setof projections at each end arranged beneath the plane of the bed-bottomand pivotally engaging said rests, one set of said projections arrangedat the rear side and the other set substantially midway between thefront and rear sides of said bed-frame.

4:. The main frame having at each end a horizontal guideway with aninclined rest end and a segmentally-curved guideway beneath the samewith rests at both ends, and a bedframe having projections at its endsengaged upon said rests within said guideways, in combination with acouch-seat having rigidlyattached gooseneck hangers pivotally suspendedfrom the bottom of said bed-frame.

5. The main frame having at each end a horizontally-disposed guidewaywith an inclined stop at one end and a downwardly and forwardlyextending segmentally curved guideway on a lower plane with stops atboth ends, in combination with a bed-frame having brackets on its bottomand provided at each end with pivot members located beneath the plane ofthe bed-bottom and engaged on said ways.

1 6. The main frame having one straight and one segmentally-curvedguideway at each end on its inside and a bed-frame having two sets ofbrackets projecting beneath the plane of the bed-bottom-and providedwith pivot projections engaged in said ways, one set of brackets mountedat the rear side and the other set of brackets midway between the sidesof said bed-frame, in combination with a couch-seat having gooseneckhangers rigidly secured thereto and said hangers pivotally connectedwith the bottom of said bed-frame.

7. In a combined bed and couch, a main frame having two differently-constructed guideways transversely at each end, a bedframe having a setof projections at each end arranged one at the rear side beneath theplane of the bed-bottom and the other substantially midway between thesides of said bed-frame and engaged in said ways, and a couch-back onthe upper portion of the bottom of said bed-frame, in combination with acouch pivotally supported at its rear from the bottom of said bed-framesubstantially midway between its sides, said pivot being nearer to theplane of the bed-bottom than said rear projection to prevent collapsingof the bed when folded.

8. In a combined bed and couch, a main frame having arm-rests at itsends and a substantially horizontal guideway on its inside at each endand a segmentally-curved guideway beneath each of said horizontalguideways, in combination with a bed-frame provided at each end with twofulcrum-pivots engaged on said guideways respectively, and 'a couch-seatsupported at its rear from said bedframe and having a front supportindependent of said bed-frame, substantially as described.

9. In a combined bed and-couch, a couchframeprovided at each end withbed-rests at different elevations, a bed-frame provided at g each sidewith a set of fulcrum projections supported by said rests, and acouch-seat within said frame provided with a set of gooseneck hangerspivotally connected with said held-frame, substantially midway betweenits s1 es.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

DAVID T. OWEN. Witnesses:

R. B. MOSER, C. A. SELL.

